During numerous conversations, the Master gave explanations for the reason of suffering:

"As it is difficult for one to climb high mountain peaks, so it is difficult to climb the high reaches of the spiritual life. Life is climbing a high mountain peak. Someone says to me, 'I groan. I am tormented.' Naturally, you go to the heights, and for this reason, you groan.

"Man suffers because he has strayed away from God and does not know how to return. Going away from God leads to deprivation, suffering, misfortune, hardship, disease, death. The greater the suffering, the greater was the turning away. Therefore, in order for the abnormality in life to be corrected, you need to return to the primeval Life.

"The reason for the suffering and hardships man needs to endure is in the unfulfillment of God's Will. The trials in life come for the sole reason to discern that which is pure gold from that which is only gilded. That which is gold is put to work, and the things which are gold-plated are set aside.

"One should not bring suffering and conflicts upon himself. Sometimes the Spirit comes and tells a person to do something, but he refuses because the conditions are not favorable or because of his own indisposition. Then come the great difficulties in one's life.

"The suffering which you have in your life is due to being without Love. Remember that the misconceptions, conflicts and suffering in your life do not come from God. The suffering and misfortunes in your life are due to a lack of understanding of the great Principles and Laws which Nature is using.

"What do you understand of the concept of God's anger? It indicates that much human error has accumulated and that the Intelligent Nature is using Fire to consume all this error, and in this way, people are liberated.

"Suffering indicates that man has come into conflict with the Laws of the Intelligent Nature. He who does not attain Divine Wisdom suffers.

"The lack of understanding of the wholeness of Life is the source of suffering. If someone has the desire to free himself of suffering, he needs to change the direction in which he moves. In order to be able to achieve that, he needs to be courageous and resolute. When someone commits a crime, suffering climbs on his back and forces him to begin thinking.

"God has created a harmonious world, and the existing suffering in this world is the result of man's actions. At first, Nature makes the effort to teach us with gentleness, and if we do not comprehend, the storm comes. Nature manifests itself as we are. It conforms to us, and then we understand its Language."

One brother asked, "Why do the good people suffer and not the bad ones?"

The Master said:

"The good gardener trims the cultivated trees and leaves the wild ones to grow untouched. For how long? Until their turn comes to be cultivated. When a sheep is slaughtered, the other sheep stay by and watch, but the same will happen to them too. Their turn has not yet come. To him who has not suffered, suffering is yet to come. To him who has endured suffering to the end, no suffering will come any more.

"When someone suffers, he himself is the reason, because he has missed certain opportunities. He has delayed with one minute, and the train has left the station.

"When a weak person has been punished by a strong one, he should not blame the strong person, but say, 'I am not smart enough.' The strong person never punishes a smart one. The weak person has not been punished because of his weakness, but because he is not smart. The weak should not think of themselves as being strong. The moment you stop thinking of yourselves as being strong, punishment will cease.

"All those who crucify Christ within themselves will burn like dry wood. This is the suffering which they will endure.

"You complain that someone has beaten you. The reason for that is that you are standing too close to him.

"He who knows why he has been punished attains true initiation. It is necessary for the person who desires to free himself of all suffering to be virtuous and to have right thinking.

"When the real Life comes there will be no more tears. After every sadness, something new, something great is born in the human soul. All great ideas are born after great sorrow. Until the new is born within the human soul, man will continue to know suffering. As soon as it is born, he will be filled with joy. Man sees God in times of sorrow."